


Burned

by stargatefan_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Gen, Missing Scene, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-10-06 13:37:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10335821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stargatefan_archivist/pseuds/stargatefan_archivist
Summary: SPOILERS Epilogue to Between Two Fires, Spoilers for COTG, Ascension and any episodes with the characters Martouf and NarimSam seems to have become something of a ’black widow’. Who better to comfort her than the SGC’s resident trouble magnet?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Yuma, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [Stargatefan.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Stargatefan.com). To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [StargateFan Archive Collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/StargateFan_Archive_Collection).

Burned

Well, it’s been another rousing disaster for SG-1.Immediately following a dramatically interrupted and therefore rather anticlimactic debriefing all four of us have crawled off to lick our wounds.Teal’c will kel-no-reem himself into cosmic rightness.Jack will hunker down in his office and consider all the tactical possibilities.When he satisfies himself that nothing we did caused this fiasco and nothing we could have done would have changed the outcome, he’ll literally and figuratively close the book and go home.Me…well, in a way I’ve already gone the same route as Jack.I assessed the mess while we were still up to our necks in it and realized that we were nothing more than pawns in the Curia’s hands, powerless to change anything.Even if we had refused Travell’s invitation to return, the game would have still played out to, most likely, the same ending.The alternative would be the Tollan fulfilling their Faustian bargain and blasting us off the face of the earth.I have to admit, if it’s a case of us or them, I have to go with us.So there’s no happy ending.Period.Not possible.I don’t like it but I guess I’ll just have to file it with all the other missions that didn’t have happy endings.It’s not like I have…had any strong personal attachment to the Tollan.Unlike Sam, who I’m sure is buried in her lab running complex physics equations in an attempt to distract herself from the pain.Been there, done that…should have it tattooed on my ass.Which is exactly why I’m headed for the astrophysics lab.Right now Sam doesn’t want to see me.Or anyone else for that matter.Like I said—I know how it is.Teal’c expressed his condolences before we’d even left the gate room.He was straight to the point, blunt even, but that’s Teal’c’s way.I think it’s also his way of respecting Sam as a colleague.After all, soldiers don’t go blubbering over casualties of war, do they?Major Carter probably understands that.Sam needs more.Still, I hesitate at her door.Sam is, after all, highly skilled in hand to hand combat.Take a deep breath, Daniel.“Hey, Sam.”Sam looks up, startled by my voice.She closes off almost instantly.

“Hey,” she responds warily.I risk actually entering the office.

“Um…how are you doing?”

“Fine.”Right.Could we see a show of hands from anyone who believes that?

“Really?”

“I will be,” Sam assures me with a quick and decidedly forced smile.I wait her out.“Really, Daniel.I just don’t feel like talking right now.”

“Oh.Sure.I know.”Why is it than whenever I need to discuss something of deep emotional import I suddenly revert to the verbal skills of a three-year-old?I’m a linguist for god’s sake.Just having a Y chromosome should not reduce me to monosyllabic incoherence every time feelings are discussed.I give myself a disgusted shake.“Really, Sam…I understand.”She’s watching me closely…assessing.Finally there seems to be some lessening of the tension in her shoulders.

“Really?”She manages to give the word a slightly teasing tone.I can’t help a small smile of relief.I know I need to take advantage of the small opening so I pull up a stool next to hers. 

“I do, you know.Understand.”

“Yeah, I suppose you do.”She’s not exactly thrilled that I’ve had to go through this before.Any more than I’m happy about seeing her deal with another loss.Adding to her burden is the fact that no one around here was exactly crazy about the Tollan.One thing that helped me deal with losing Sha’re was the fact that a least a few people here knew her.When Jack expressed his regret and talked about her courage…well, it just meant more because he understood what I had lost.I only knew Narim a little bit but I saw how he felt about Sam.In fact, I probably saw more than either he or Sam would have liked.

“I’m sorry about Narim.He was a good man.And he really cared about you,” I offer.Tears threaten but there’s just the hint of a smile on her lips.It’s a small comfort I offer, but Sam accepts gratefully.

“Yes, he was.”Her face twists with anger.“He sure as heck didn’t deserve this.Damn Curia.Damn goa’uld.”

“No, no, he didn’t,” I agree whole-heartedly.

“If he hadn’t had feelings for me….”Sam’s voice trails off but I know exactly where her thoughts are going.It’s one of the reasons I felt I should be the one to offer a shoulder.Or at least an ear.Having been there and all.

“You know that didn’t make any difference.The Curia had made their deal.And no offense, but I don’t think you figured into it in any way.”I get more than a hint of smile this time.More rueful than happy but I’ll take anything I can get right now.“And Narim, being a good man, could never have stood idly by and let the Curia prostitute the Tollan civilization.Our presence may have brought the issue to a head sooner rather than later, but I honestly don’t believe the conclusion would have differed substantially if we hadn’t been there.”

“I suppose not,” Sam says reluctantly, resting her chin on the heel of her hand.

“On the other hand, you’ve probably realized that there’s a curse on your love life.”I’m kidding.Sort of.

“Potential,” Sam says matter of factly, staring down at her calculations again.

“Huh?”

“Potential love life.”

“Oh.”Oh…right.I get it.“I see.”

“I mean if we’re going to be accurate….”

“Yes, yes, by all means, we should be accurate in these matters,” I say solemnly.She glares at me with mock anger.“Anyway, I’ve already faced up to the curse.Done the whole 12-step program.I just thought I might be able to help.”

“I don’t believe in curses.”I don’t care what Sam’s birth certificate says, I swear she’s from Missouri.If you can’t show her….

“Every woman I have…’history’ with becomes a goa’uld,” I offer as proof.

“At least you had history!” she shoots back.Good, wonderful, now we’re both blushing…and I’ll concede the point on ‘history’.

“There is that.”I surrender graciously.

“And all of mine end up dead.Pre-historically speaking.”

“I would argue that dead is preferable to being goa’ulded, historical or not.”

“I’ll agree that neither is a desirable outcome,” Sam offers as a compromise.“And certainly not justified just because they had the bad luck to cross paths with us.”This is exactly my point.“What is it about the two of us?”Come on, Sam, I already explained this.She nods sadly and sighs.“We’re cursed.”We sit in companionable silence while Sam mulls the whole concept over.“So, is there any way…?”

“To get around it?Not that I’ve found.”Believe me, I’ve tried.

“Well, I was just thinking that maybe I should’ve…you know...made history.I mean maybe that would negate the curse.”Sam gives a despairing shake of her head.“Or maybe the colonel’s right and I just need to get a life.”

“Personally, I think it’s safer for everyone if I just don’t….Just don’t,” I say.Hate to admit it but….“I think I’ve done enough damage to the female population of….”

“That’s it!”What?“Narim and Martouf were aliens.I know—they were human, only partially in Martouf'’s case, but they were alien.And Orlin was completely alien.Maybe the curse wouldn’t apply to humans from earth.”

“Doesn’t help me,” I sigh.“But…give it a shot.What have you got to lose?”Besides another boyfriend that is.Sam gives a somewhat bitter laugh.

“Right.Only one small problem.Aliens seem to be the only ones interested in me lately,” Sam says ruefully.

“That’s not true.I can think of at least one person right on this base.”Uh oh—I’ve got incoming.Sam’s eyes shoot twin warning flares.“Such as Lt. Simmons.”So I’m a coward.“He was pretty interested.”I don’t know why I feel compelled to point this out.It’s not like Sam doesn’t already know.

“Now, see—that just brings up all the problems with military regs and fraternization and sexual harassment….”Sam shakes her head.“It’s not worth it.I’ll just keep the standing Friday night date with my lab.”

“Could be worse.” Right, like we could be dead or goa’ulded.

“Don’t get me wrong, Daniel.I’m happy with my life.I love what I do.I’ve got the best job in the world.I have family and great friends.It’s enough.Hell, it’s more than enough—it’s good.”Sam’s shoulders slump after this impassioned declaration.“I just…sometimes I think it would be nice to have someone to share it all with.”

“Of course, there is the problem of sharing when you can’t actually share….”I gesture around Sam’s lab.“A big chunk of our lives are classified.”

“I’d definitely need someone who’s very understanding.”

“Or someone who works here.” Hey, it’s just a suggestion.

“Then we’re back to the whole military thing.”

“There are civilians here, too.”

“None of whom have shown the slightest interest in me.God, that sounds pathetic.”Sam’s disgusted with herself.“I’m not pathetic.”

“No, absolutely not,” I reassure her.Mean it, too.

“Is it so much to ask for?Just a nice steak dinner, interesting conversation, a few laughs…and maybe, just maybe, make a little history?”This sounds familiar.“Holy…that’s…that’s SG-1’s night out!”

“Well, except for the making history part.”As far as I know.

“The colonel and Teal’c are off limits,” Sam bristles. “Military and alien.”

“And I’m cursed.”

“Oh, wow, I just had a thought.”Sam has an absolutely horrified look.“Can you imagine what would have happened if we’d ever….If we’d felt that way about each other?With both of us cursed….”

“I’d be dead.”Well, it’s not like it hasn’t happened before.

“And I’d be a goa’uld.”Sam ponders the possibilities.“Maybe the curses would cancel each other out?”

“I suppose that’s possible, but I suspect they would combine into something even greater than the sum of their parts.One kiss and half the population of North America would spontaneously combust.”Sam can’t help the chuckle bursting out at what I know is a pretty woeful look.

“You know, if it weren’t for the curse, and…stuff, I would’ve put the moves on you a long time ago.”I know Sam’s just trying to make me feel better.It’s…sweet.And somehow unnerving.

“Moves?You have moves?”I’m shocked.I’m stunned.I’m jealous.

“I had moves,” Sam insists.She frowns, concentrating, trying to pull up some distant memory.“At some point I’m sure I had moves.”

“I don’t remember moves.I don’t think I ever had them.”Big admission there.Everyone already knows I’m hopeless at that kind of interpersonal interaction.Throw me halfway across the galaxy to make nice with the natives and I’ll muddle through.Put me in a room with a beautiful woman and, let’s face it, if she doesn’t make the first move the encounter will never be more than G rated.Even poor Sha’re had to throw her half naked body at me before I even got a hint of a clue.“Not sure I’d even recognize them if you tried.”

“You mean you weren’t the varsity football team captain, nailing everything in a skirt under the bleachers.”Whoa, no…what?They did stuff like that?In high school?

“Ah, no,” I manage to stammer out.“Too small, too skinny, too shy.And then there’s the whole four-eyes thing.College was better.”Much better.“More girl geeks.”

“I was a girl geek,” she confides.Don’t take this wrong but—I could’ve guessed.“What’s worse—I was a military brat geek.”

“I was an orphan geek,” I say confidently.

“You win,” Sam concedes.She smiles softly.“Too bad I didn’t meet you in college.Who knows what might have happened.”

“You wouldn’t have given me a second thought,” I argue.I know this.Sam’s eyes would have slid right over me and never even registered my presence.She may have been a geek but she was a self confident, attractive geek.She’s the kind of person people notice.I, on the other hand, learned at an early age how to become invisible, and I tended to stay invisible even when getting noticed would have been a good thing.In fact I tended to become visible only at times when it was a bad thing.Like arguing my theories with students, teachers…even the librarian.It didn’t matter.I…had a big mouth.So, okay, Sam might have noticed me but not in any positive way.Besides…“You were hard science, I was ‘soft’ science.”

“Yeah, there is that,” Sam acknowledges with a comical grimace.Well, duh.It’s like night and day, black and white, Capulets and Montagues.We’d be not so much star-crossed as two meteors on a collision course.Talk about the big bang.

“You, on the other hand….”

“Right,” Sam snorts.Normally not an attractive move for a woman but Sam manages to pull it off with a certain charm.And I’m serious here.

“Smart, funny, attractive….”I know how it is, really, I know.But Sam knows, too.I don’t really have to spell it out for her.“If it weren’t for the borderline incestuous aspect, you’re exactly the kind of woman I would have been honored to share my life with.”

“Excuse me?”Jack’s familiar voice exclaims from the doorway.“Is there something the two of you want to tell me?”Both Sam and I ignore Jack.

“Thank you,” Sam says softly.“That’s the sweetest non-proposal I’ve ever gotten.”I can’t help it.I love her—in a strictly non-’history’ making way.I lean in and kiss her blushing cheek.She understands…and I think I’ve helped her feel a little better.At least for a brief moment.Behind me is a strange gurgling, choking noise.Yeah, about Jack….I pitch my voice to be certain he’ll hear.

“Don’t worry, Sam, this will be our secret.”She grins mischievously at me.Jack baiting has become a tag team sport. 

“Thanks, Daniel.I knew I could count on your discretion.”

“All right, that’s just about enough of that,” Jack growls.I turn around all wide-eyed surprise.

“Jack?”

“Don’t ‘Jack’ me,” he says shaking his finger at me as he walks over to the other side of Sam.I have no doubt Jack has been lurking around waiting for the opportunity to check on her.He watches over all of us like some sort of broody hen.But whereas he’ll barge right in and smother me with TLC O’Neill style, he always waits for someone else to start the ball rolling with Sam.He won’t do anything that might compromise her position.The possibility that someone might see them alone together in a comforting (i.e. compromising) position keeps him at arm’s length.Of course, Sam knows even better than Jack how even talk can ruin a woman’s career so it’s unlikely she’d allow anything even remotely suggestive even if Jack forgot himself.All in all its just part of our team ‘dance’.The way we’ve learned to work together.Jack waits until I’ve started the heart to heart before he stops in to do his ‘duty’ as team leader with me as chaperone.“What are the two of you up to?”

“Discussing our love lives.”Jack’s jaw drops in shock.I’m hurt.I mean, I know it’s…unlikely, but does he have to look so surprised?“We do have them,” I insist.“Ah…had them.”

“Potentially had them,” amends Sam.Jack looks at the two of us like we’ve lost our minds.“We’re cursed, sir.”

“I don’t believe in curses,” Jack snaps out automatically.

“All of my…they end up with snakes in their heads.And all of Sam’s potential…you know…they’re dead.”Refute that evidence, Colonel ‘It’s not denial if I know you’re wrong’ O’Neill.

“Anyone who gets close to me…grim reaper time,” Sam confirms.

“Oh, for crying….”You can almost see the gears turning.Jack sidles a little closer to Sam and drops his voice.“Uh, Carter….”

“Don’t worry, sir.I didn’t let you nearly close enough.”

“Good.”Okay…just give Jack’s brain a second to reboot here.Four…three…two….“Uh, Carter?”Jack’s sense of relief has just been punctured by the sneaky idea that just maybe he’s been…not so much insulted as demoted to second team.

“Drop it.Sir.”Good advice, Jack, you might want to take it.Once again he proves that he’s not nearly as dumb as he acts.He pretends the previous few seconds never happened and returns to something he can vent safely about.

“If you would just listen to me and get a life!”

“That’s the whole point, sir.If we get a life….”

“Someone else loses theirs,” I finish.Jack just stares at us, mouth agape.

“Jesus jumped up Christ in a sidecar!”Jack stalks back to the other side of the room.“Well, no damn wonder with Major Depression and Dr. Disaster here!”Sam gets that ‘I’m going to be very patient because this is Col. O’Neill I’m dealing with’ face.

“We’re just being realistic.”

“It’s not pessimism if the glass is empty, Jack.”

“What?!”We’ve got Jack angry, frustrated and confused now.I know just how to take it that one step farther and push him over the edge.And while that has provided hours of entertainment in the past, I think this time, in deference to Sam’s emotional state, it would be better to de-escalate. 

“It’s a simple matter of threat assessment.”Nope, by the look on his face he’s not buying my appeal to his military training.

“We’re going to be old maids,” Sam announces.Apparently that’s her final comment on the subject as she promptly returns to her laptop.Jack gives her a disgusted scowl.Then he turns slowly to me with the oddest expression…and I know.I just know he’s picturing me as…I don’t know.Auntie Mame.Or Marge Simpson’s sisters maybe.Either way he’d better just get that picture right out of his head.I may wear robes when the situation calls for it but I don’t do drag.For anyone.

“Come on.”Amusement—at my expense—still twinkles in Jack’s eyes, but his voice has gone quiet and his smile is gentle.“Let’s get out of here.We’ll throw some steaks on the grill and kick back.”Sam darts a knowing glance at me.“Or maybe you’d prefer burgers?”

“I suppose it’s the best life we can hope for,” I say to her.

“Hey, at least its ‘a’ life,” grumbles Jack.Sam gives a small nod and logs off.“Good,” says Jack smugly, happy now that we’ve catered to his paternal impulses.

“I’ll just…go get Teal’c,” I offer.

“Cool,” says Jack.He stands at the door, waiting for Sam.He doesn’t trust her to actually leave her lab voluntarily.As I walk out the door I hear Jack clearing his throat.“Hey, Carter, sorry…you know…about Narim.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Look, give me a ten minute headstart, okay?I got stop and pick up some beer for Dr. ‘I won’t drink it if it’s not European and black as bog water’ Jackson.”Jack says this just loud enough to insure that I’ll hear him.

“Don’t forget the kosher dills for Teal’c,” I call back over my shoulder, knowing Jack is out of the loop on Teal’c’s latest culinary fixation.

“Kosher?” Jack’s puzzled voice follows me.“Hell, I didn’t even know he was Jewish.”I don’t have to look back to know that Jack has his ‘me no rocket scientist’ face on, and Sam is looking at him with indulgent amusement.It’s a strange dance we do, I’ll grant you that.Inane, insane, irrational, and often incomprehensible to the rest of the world.What can I say?

It works for us.

**The End**

  


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>   
>  © January 2002 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp.  
> The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters  
> who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names,   
> titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.   
> 

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